Apple Could Release New AirPods This Year With Hey Siri Support, Water Resistant Model Also in Development [Report]

Apple is planning an upgrade to its popular AirPods which will bring support for 'Hey Siri' and a new wireless chip, reports Bloomberg.

The model coming as early as this year will let people summon Apple’s Siri digital assistant without physically tapping the headphones by saying "Hey Siri." The function will work similarly to how a user activates Siri on an iPhone or a HomePod speaker hands-free. The headphones, internally known as B288, will include an upgraded Apple-designed wireless chip for managing Bluetooth connections. The first AirPods include a chip known as the W1, and Apple released the W2 with the Apple Watch last year.

A subsequent model, which could be released next year, is purportedly water resistant. The idea is that it will survive splashes of water and rain. It's unlikely that it will be submersible.

I like how people tell me that I’m wearing Qtips lol. Hey it might be so but they are really convenient, small, and they last really long. Might consider getting the new ones coming out for the water proofing if it happens.

Here are the top things needed for the new airpods based on my experience from the current ones -
1. More volume and a bit better bass and mids.
2. Better tap controls - To control things like volume(which is not there now), Skip forward, Skip backward, Forward, Rewind, Play, Pause - I know some of it can be configured now in the phone UI but we need more options.
3. Improved battery life